DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species I: Fig. 1 (claims 1-4, 6-15, 19 and 20) in the reply filed on October 16, 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-15, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ramirez (US 2021/0054691).
In regards to claim 1, Ramirez discloses a display comprising:
at least one substantially transparent structural layer (layer 102A) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 24);
a display layer (display layer 102C) configured to present visual content (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 24-25, 27, 29);
a first dimmable layer (dimmable layer 102B) positioned relative to a first surface of the display layer (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 24, 27);
at least one sensor (light sensor) configured to monitor a parameter (ambient light) corresponding to a characteristic of an environment in which the display is provided (paragraphs 27 and 78); and
a display control (controller 110) configured to control an input voltage to the first dimmable layer to operate the first dimmable layer to provide a degree of contrast based on values of the parameter provided by the at least one sensor (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 78).
In regards to claim 2, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a plurality of sensors (paragraph 75; sensors 660).
In regards to claim 3, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one sensor configured to detect luminance in the environment in which the display is provided (paragraphs 27 and 78).
In regards to claim 6, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, further comprising a touch layer (102D) positioned on the at least one structural layer, wherein the touch layer is configured to receive input associated with at least a portion of the visual content presented by the display layer (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 24, 26).
In regards to claim 7, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, wherein the visual content includes one or more of an image, text, and media (Fig. 3 and paragraphs 24, 27, 31, 41).
In regards to claim 8, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, wherein the first dimmable layer includes a plurality of sections, wherein each section is configured to be operated to provide a respective degree of contrast (Fig. 2D and paragraph 37).
In regards to claim 9, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, wherein the first dimmable layer is configured to be operated in an active state and an inactive state (paragraph 27).
In regards to claim 10, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 9, wherein the first dimmable layer is configured to be substantially transparent in one of the active state and the inactive state (paragraph 27).
In regards to claim 11, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 9, wherein the first dimmable layer is configured to be substantially opaque in one of the active state and the inactive state (paragraph 27).
In regards to claim 12, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 1, wherein the display control is configured to adjust an input voltage to the first dimmable layer to change the degree of contrast (paragraphs 27).
In regards to claim 13, Ramirez discloses the display of claim 10, wherein the first dimmable layer includes sections, wherein the display control is configured to adjust respective input voltages to the sections to change degrees of contrast respectively provided by the sections (Fig. 2D and paragraph 37).
In regards to claim 14, Ramirez discloses a window including the display of claim 1 (paragraph 24).
In regards to claim 15, Ramirez discloses a vehicle including the display of claim 1 (Fig. 4 and paragraph 45).
In regards to claim 19, Ramirez discloses a display system comprising:
a first display (Fig. 4 and paragraph 45);
a second display (Fig. 4 and paragraph 45);
one or more processors (controller 110); and
one or more computer readable media comprising instructions (Fig. 8 and paragraphs 77-80);
wherein each of the first display and the second display includes:
at least one substantially transparent structural layer (layer 102A) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 24),
a display layer (display layer 102C) configured to present visual content (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 24-25, 27, 29),
a first dimmable layer (dimmable layer 102B) positioned relative to a first surface of the display layer (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 24, 27), and
at least one sensor (light sensor) configured to monitor a parameter (ambient light) corresponding to a characteristic of an environment in which a respective one of the first and second displays is provided (paragraphs 27 and 78); and
wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including operating the dimmable layers to provide respective degrees of contrast based on values of the parameter provided by respective at least one sensors (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 78).
In regards to claim 20, Ramirez discloses the display system of claim 19, wherein the first display and the second display are positioned within a structure, and wherein the first display is surrounded by the second display (Fig. 4 and paragraphs 30, 45).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Fleck (US 2012/0105306) discloses a transparent display assembly, a display device includes a display panel system that is located between a first display surface and a second display surface, and the display panel system displays an image. The image is viewable through the first display surface and through the second display surface, where the second display surface and the first display surface are viewable from opposite sides of the display device. The display device also includes a multi-mode panel located between the first display surface and the second display surface. The multi-mode panel is operable to permit the image being viewable through the first and second display surfaces, and further operable to prevent the image from being viewable through the first display surface or the second display surface.
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/MICHAEL PERVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629 February 6, 2026